There is a melody titled “The Center of It ALL” by Mac Power that displays the truth of God. Within this song, one line speaks, rather shouts, the TRUTH I believe the world needs to hear.

“From the beginning, to the ending, [God] You’re the center of it all.”

HE Is The Beginning—Genesis 1: 1-3—GOD WAS—IN THE BEGINNING!

HE Is The Ending—Revelation 22: 12-13—GOD IS BOTH THE FIRST & THE LAST—THE ALPHA & THE OMEGA!

HE Is The Center—Philippians 1:6—GOD IS THE CENTER—THE VERY PERSON WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK WITHIN US AT OUR SALVATION, A “GOOD WORK,” & IT IS GOD WHO “WILL PERFECT IT” WHEN WE ARE CALLED HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD.

Sixteen years ago, we moved into our new home.

Thirteen years ago, I planted some vegetation that would surround our home.

For three full years, we mowed grass that grew next to the foundation of the home; then Darrell was deployed to Iraq (for the second time). During this second deployment, I began digging.

Thank You God for deployments & what those times of trial, of testing, have taught me about YOU!

Thank You God for the digging up of the grass that grew around the house & for the planting of bushes, of perennials, of flowers—all the things that have taught me about YOU!

In the beginning—there was a field.

In the beginning—there was a builder.

In the beginning—there was a plan.

In the beginning—GOD WAS—IN THE BEGINNING!

In the middle—there was a home constructed.

In the middle—there was another deployment.

In the middle—there was a trial, a struggle, a hurt.

In the center—there was GOD, THE VERY PERSON WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK WITHIN US AT OUR SALVATION.

In the end—there was a marriage saved.

In the end—there was prayer & Bible reading.

In the end—there was a husband and a wife.

In the end—there was GOD, WHO IS BOTH THE FIRST & THE LAST—THE ALPHA & THE OMEGA!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR THE BEGINNING, THE MIDDLE, AND THE END!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR THE CENTER—JESUS!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR BEING AT WORK—WITHIN US!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR MAKING US READY—FOR OUR ARRIVAL DATE—HOME!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR PRUNING AWAY of the “WORLDLY” THINGS THAT NEED—TO BE CUT.

THANK YOU GOD—FOR BEGINNING—A GOOD WORK IN US!

THANK YOU GOD—FOR HOLDING US TIGHT—UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS!

THANK YOU—GOD!

We do not need to wonder if God keeps His promises.  We only need to look into the living Word of God to find this truth revealed.  We only need to Read & Believe & Trust—God—At His Word!

See with me this truth today, one that is found in a letter written to the believers who lived in Philippi.  See the TRUTH of GOD in the Apostle Paul’s letter.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1: 6)

God is good.  PERIOD!

God is faithful.  PERIOD!

No matter what!  God Is—PERIOD!

That summer when Darrell was deployed to Iraq for the second time, I decided to dig.  I was forty-three years old, a mom, a daughter-in-law, a teacher, a cross-country coach, and a person who needed something to DO!

SO, I BORROWED MY FATHER-IN-LAW’S GRUBBING HOE & BEGAN TO TEAR UP THE PLAT OF GRASS THAT GREW NEXT TO THE FOUNDATION OF OUR 3-YEAR-OLD HOME.

Little did I know, God was “pruning me” as I dug.

Little did I know, God was “preparing me” as I dug.

Little did I know!

In order to grow stronger, something must die.

In order to grow stronger, something must be cut.

In order to grow stronger, something must be pruned.

In order to grow, death must occur.

• What do we need to let God cut away (today) so that we may grow stronger in the Lord?
• What do we need to let God burn away (today) so that we may grow in the Lord?
• What do we need to let God have His way with so that we may grow stronger in the Lord?
• What do we need to let God have (today) so that we may grow to be more like Jesus?
• What do we need to let God do, that HE is famous for doing, so that we may grow-up in the Lord?
• What do we need to let God do today, so that the world may see that God is at work—in us?

New growth requires a cutting away of the old.

Since the summer of planting, the vegetation surrounding the foundation of our home has grown.  Every February, I am required to prune, for if I do not prune, the flowers and bushes and landscaping that I planted so long ago will overtake our home & will grow so high, so wild, so uncontrolled. The world would not see the house but will only see the wild growth. Our body is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit (His House)!

HOW ARE WE GROWING WILD?

HOW DO WE NEED JESUS TO PRUNE US, TODAY?

HOW DO WE NEED JESUS TO REMOVE THE THINGS THAT HINDER US FROM BECOMING WHO HE WANTS US TO BE, CREATING US TO BE THE CHILD HE DESIGNED US TO BE?

HOW DO WE NEED JESUS—TO MAKE US INTO A MORE ACCURATE REFLECTION OF HIM?!!!

OH, HOW WE NEED A HUSBANDMAN, & A FATHER, & A GROWER, & MOST DEFINITELY—A PRUNER!

OH, HOW WE NEED A SAVIOR!

OH, HOW WE NEED JESUS!

God is at work—in us.  Know it, feel it, embrace it, desire it, accept it.

God is at work—in us.  As His, we are under construction.

God is at work—in us.  We are being delivered—that’s God’s Sanctification.

God is at work—in us.  We are survivors who are heaven-bound.

God is at work—in us.  God is steadily making us more like Jesus.

God is at work—in us.  God is making us READY to meet HIM—face-to-face.

God is at work—in us.

Let us accept all that God is doing, all that He is pruning, all that He is making ready.

God is at work—in us.

May we cooperate with HIM today, with the “good” work He is creating for our lives.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 1: 6)